Process and apparatus for making coke



Jan. 15, 1929.

F. PUENING PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COKE 5 Sheets-sheet lv Filed May 29. 1922 nNvENToR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F. PUENING Filed May 29, 1922 45 FEG.2

,/fc///f PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COKE Jan.

Jan. l5, 1929- F. PUENING PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COKE Filed May 29. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet FIG. 3

|| IAIHII ||l lll Il 6 Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

F A "l" A r eerie FRANZ fl?ENINGr,` OF ASPINWAJL, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS .AND APPARATUS FOR-MAKING' COKE.

Application filed May 29,

My invention relates to the art ofdistilling coal or other coke-forming carbonaceous material, and 1t has special reference to the production of dense coke by distilling the coke-` forming material under simultaneous heat and pressure.

In Letters Patent 1,419,908 granted to me June 13, 1922, I have described and claimed a process and apparatus for making coke, in lo which a series of pressure members are arranged in a heated chamber with spaces for receiving the coal to be coked, and with means for compressing the members together to com.- press the coal `vvhileit being heated to coking temperature. In that prior application the coking heat is supplied to the treating chamber simultaneously with the application of pressure. It is one of the objectsof my present invention to improve this method and apparatus by introducing the hot gases or other heating medium into the treating chamber only during the intervals between-the compressing and coking operations, thereby avoiding the disadvantage of my former method. that the gases and vapors evolved from the distilling coal were mixed with the hot gases used for heating the coking chamber, thus diluting the volatile distillation products and increasing the cost of recovering such products.

In another application for Letters Patent, filed February 11, 1922, Serial No. 535,791, I have shown a process and apparatus for making coke in which the coke-forming material is interposed between solid vertical walls which are made up of sections of metal or refractory material, together with apparatus for charging the material into the retort spaces, for handling the cover of the treating chamber, and `for pushing out the finished coke. In this prior application the walls which separate the retort spaces are not movable toward or away from each other, since the object therein sought was the production of light coke instead of dense coke. However, in the system which forms the subject of my present invention, I employwalls for separating the retort spaces constructed in much the same manner as the 'spacing walls shown in my said priorapplication, Serial No. 535,7 91, and I also employ charging and discharging means of the type shown in that. application. The present application is therefore an im- 192e. semina. 564,377. f

provenient upon the disclosure of the said prior application Serial No. 535,791L` Another object of my present invention is to improve the construction of the walls which separate the retort spaces for the purpose of facilitating the escape of gases and vapors of distillation.

Other objects of my inventionwill appear from the description of my method and apparatus as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vlongitudinal sectional view through a complete apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a transversevertical section taken substantially on the line.2-2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial vertical sectional view similar to a portion of Fig. 2 and taken on the same line as Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a partial plan View, partly in section on the line 4-4, Fig. 3, showing the connections 1for moving the pressure walls toward and from each other; 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken substantially on the line 5 5, Fig. 4; Fig. `Gris an enlarged fragmentary side view of a portion of one of the pressure walls; Fig. 7 is a fragmentaryplan view of the wall section shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is an end elevational view ofthe same wall section; and Fig. 9 an enlarged end elevational view, partly in section, of a complet-e pressure wall.

In the drawing, the numerals 2 indicate the walls of a furnace consisting of an enclosure of fire brick or other refractory material, in the upper part of which is a coliing chamber 3. Within the chamber 3 are suspended a series of spaced walls 4 ofiron or refractory material which will stand up under f compression and heat. Each ofthe walls 4 is composed of a number of individualblocks 5 which are strung upon rods 6, the upper ends of which extend through beams 7 and are held in place by means of nuts 8.

Each of the beamsi supports one of the walls 4 and is carried between two sliding bearings 10 which rest in troughs 11 that are filled with oil or other suitable lubricating and sealing liquid. The walls 4 and the bearing members 10 are of such dimensions that free spaces 12 are left between the walls 4, these spaces constituting the retorts in which the coal or other carbonaceous material is placed for coking. p

For the purpose of increasing and decreasing the distance between the walls 4, a hydraulic press is mounted outside ot the turnace chamber, and is provided with suitable pipes 16 and 17, controlled by valves 18 and 19, for admitting iuid under pressure into the chambers 20 and 21 on opposite sides of the piston 22. The pistonrod 23 extends through a suitable bearing 24 into the chamber 3, and carries a pressure head consisting of a base 25, a number of I-beams 26, and a t'rame 27 which is filled with refractory bricks 28 that areV in contact with the pressure wall 4 which is shown at the right of the turnace chamber on Fig. 1. y

lVhen water is admitted through the pipe 17 into the chamber 21 of the cylinder 15, the pressure head is forced to the left, thus pushing to the left the tirst wall 4, which is permitted to move by the sliding bearings 10 which glide through the oil-filled troughs 11. This movement is communicated successively to the second wall, the third Wall and the other walls in succession, until contact has been established between the sliding bearingsl() of all the walls.

When the motion ot the piston 22 is reversed by admitting pressure fluid through the pipe 16 into the chamber 20, the pressure head moves to the right, as seen in Fig. 1, and draws the walls 4 away from each other. For the purpose of connecting the Ywalls 4 so as to permit them to approach and recede l'rom each other, the upper I-beam 26a of the pressure head is made longer than the other I-beams 26, and its ends extend above the oil-tilled trough in which the sliding bearings move, this construction being best shown in Figs. 4 and 5. A bracket is formed b v means of plates 30 and 31 at each end ot' the beam 26. A bolt 32 extends through an opening` near the bottom of each ot these brackets, and is held in place therein by means ot a nut 33. The end ot' the bolt 32 opposite to the nut 33 is shaped into a hammer head, as shown at 34, and rests in a recess 35 formed in the foot ot' the bearing 10 oi the tirst pressure wall 4. Another bolt 36 connects the bearing 10 of the first pressure wall with the bearing 10 of the second pressure wall, both ends of the bolt 36 being shaped into hammer heads 37. In a similar manner the bearings 1() ot each of the sueceeding pressure walls are connected by means ot' double-headed bolts 36. The lower parts of the sliding bearings are so shaped that they enclose the rhammer headed bolts and thus produce a continuous chain connecting the hydraulic cylinder 15 with all of the pressure walls 4. The alternate bolts 32 and 36 are, however, placed at different heights, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, so that their hammer-headed ends do not interfere with each other when the walls 4 are pushed together. lNhen the hydraillie cylinder is operated to withdraw the pressure head, the I-beam 26,

which forms a part of this pressure head, operates through the bolts 32 and 36 to withdraw the pressure walls 4 to the right, thus increasing the spaces 12 successively and to an amount limited by the relative proportions of the hammer heads of the connecting bolts and the recesses 35 which contain them.

The beams 7 which support the walls 4 are made hollow for the circulation ot coolingiuid in order that these beams may not be weakened under the high temperature p resent in the coking chamber. For this purpose, water or air is supplied under suitable pressure through pipes 40 which extend along the sides of the distilling chamber, and which are provided with branch connections 41 for each of the beams 7, the branches 41 being connected, by means ot Hexible pipes 42, with pipes 43 which extend into the hollow interiors 44 of the beams 7.

The oil or other sealing liquid contained in the troughs 11 serves both to lubricate the bea-ring members 10V and to form a seal between the eoking chamber 3 and a cover 45 which closes the top ot' the coking chamber. This cover, as shown in Fig. 1, rests upon portions 46 and 47 of the furnace wall. On its tour sides the cover is provided with plates 48 extending downward into the liquid in the troughs 11 which are provided not only on the sides of the furnace but on the ends as well. Thus the gases and vapors in the chamber 3 cannot escape into the open air.

In order to conveniently handle the cover 45, and also to charge coke-forming material into the spaces 12 and later to push the tinished coke out from these spaces, I provide a truck 50 having at one end a pusher device 51, and at the other end a charging machine 52 provided with a number ot coal-hoppers 52l corresponding to the spaces 12 between the walls 4. Between the charging machine and the pusher device, the truck 50 carriesI means t'or suspending, raising and lowering the cover 45. Such suspension means consists ot rods 53, the upper ends of which are pivoted to the lower arms 54 ot bell-cranks which are pivoted at 55 on standards 56 mounted on the truck 50. The upper vertical arms 57 ot' the bell-cranks are provided with screw-threaded bearings 58 pivoted at 59 to the upper ends ot the arms 57. A handscrew 60 extends through the screw-threaded bearings 58, and when operated in one direction will draw the vertical arms 57 together to lift the cover-plate 45, and when operated in the opposite direction will cause the vertical arms 57 'to recede from each other to lower the cover 45 into position on top ot the chamber 3.

The pusher device 51 is composed of a movable Jframe 61 having opposite racks 62 meshing with pinions 63 which are journaled in bearings supported by a fixed frame 64 mounted on the truck 50. Depending from the movable frame and .supported thereby are pusher rods corresponding in number and spacing tothe retort spaces 12 between the walls 4.

Mounted on a horizontal shaft beneath one end of the coking chamber 3 is a threesided sheet-metal spoon 71 which, in its hori- Zonta! position shown iu Fig. 1, surrounds the .sides aud bottom of the space which contains the pressure walls V-il. The purpose of the spoon 71 is to support thecoal during the coking operation. The spoon 71 is held in this horizontal position during the coliing operation by suitable weights or latches, not shown. After the coking is completed, the spoon is swung down to the dotted-line position shown at 71a, Fig. 1, leaving the bottom of the coke unsupported and free to be pushed out by the pusher rods 65, after the spaces between the walls have been increased by operation of the hydraulic piston, whereupon the colte falls down into a car 72. A sliding plate 7 3 closes thc bottom of the furnace when the car 7 2 is pulled out.

For the purpose of heating the furnace chamber 3, and storing sufficient heat in the walls 4 before the coal is introduced to later raise the coal to coking temperature, hot gases are supplied to the coliing chamber 3 from any convenient source, not shown, through passages 74 controlled by dampers and communicating with the chambers 3 through laticed walls 76 which distribute the heating gases throughout the chamber 3.

Each of the walls 4, as stated above, is made up of a number of individual blocks 5. I prefer thatthe joints between these blocks be loose enough to permit the gases and vapors of distillation to pass through these joints and find their way to the gas and vapor outlet which is shown on Fig. 1 as a pipe 77 controlled. by a valve 78 and leading to the usual condensers and scrubbers.

One manner in which the blocks 5 may be constructed and assembled is shown on Figs. (i, 7 and 8. Each block has projecting ribs 7i) of a certain height formed on two of its edges and adapted to enter corresponding recesses of a greater depth in the adjacent blocks, whereby channels 80 are formed between the blocks. rlhe blocks 5 are composed of tire-brick -or rough castings and their surfaces are somewhat uneven. Therefore the adjacent edges of the project-ions 79 and the recesses 8O will not fit tightly together, but will engage each other at points which are separated by openings through which the gases and vapors distilled from the coalmay iind their way into the gas channels 80a.

In the operation of the apparatus described above, the main steps are,` first., the heating of the jjn'essurc walls 4; next, the introduction of the coal or other material to be coked; third. the application of pressure and transfer of heat from the walls 4 to the coal; `and fourth,

the retraction of the pressure walls and the discharge of the finished coke.

At the beginning of this seriesaof operai tions the spoon 71 is in its downward or vertical `position 7lCL andthe dampers 75 are opened so that hot gases may be passed through the spaces 12 between the walls 4. These hotgases are preferably rcciprocatcd through the spaces 12, being .introduced alternately through therightehand passage 74 and the left-hand passage 74, as described iu my Patent No. 1,542,953, isued June 23, When the walls 4 are red-hot, thedampers 7 5 are closed and the spoon 71. is swung up` to its horizontal position, where it encloses the walls 4101i three sides. The cover 45 is then lifted by properly manipulating the` handscrew 60, and the truck 50 is moved to bring the chargingv machine 52 over the furnace. Pulverized coal or a mixture of coke-forming materialwith non-coking material is deposited by the charging machine 52 in the spaces 12 between the walls 4. The cover 45 is then replaced and the valve 78 leading to the condenser is opened. Vater underpressure is admitted through the pipe 17 into the space 21 of the hydraulic cylinder 15, and the pis# ton 22 is thereby pressed tothe left, Fig. 1, with great force. This movement isfcommunicated from one pressure wall to the next in the manner described above, and results in the `simultaneous application of heat yand pressure to the coal in the spaces 12 in such a way that the coal is transformed into colte progressively and evenly in each chamber 12. A portion of the gases and vapors distilled off from the material passes directly through the voids in the material and the pores of the formed coke upward tothe upper part of the chamber 3, while other gases passthrough the joints in the walls 4 and the gas channels 80,V From the top of chamber 3 all the gases and vapors pass out through the pipe 77 to the condensers.

lhen the coking operationis completed vthe spoon 71 is swung down into its vert-ical p'osition 71, water under pressure :is admitted through the pipe 16 to the chaniber 20 of the cylinder 15, and the piston 22 is forcedto the right, thus drawing all ofjthe pressure walls to the right and increasing the width of each of the spaces l2 in the manner ex plaine-d above. The valve 78 leading to the condenser is then closed, the cover 45 is lifted, and the truck 50 is moved to bring the pusher machine 51 above the furnace. By manipu* lating the pinions 63 the pushers 65 are lowered intothe spaces 12 and push out the coke, this operationl ,being aided by the fact that the spaces 12 are now considerably larger than the sheets of coke. The pusher machine is then withdrawn, the cover 45 `is replaced, the dampers 40 are opened, and the apparatus is ready for another cycle of operations.

It is to `be particularly noted that in the ll il) -heating gases, but also makes it easy to prevent coking of the coal at the ends of the chambers l2, since the coking heat does not need to enter the coal from the ends'of chambers l2. lith this object in view the spoon 7l is made wider than the heating walls 4, as shown in Fig. 2, so that some coal will fall between theside walls of the spoon and the ends of the heating walls. Thus the heat which is stored in the perforated face walls 76 of the furnace adjacent to the ends of the walls t cannot reach the coal which is between the heating walls 4, and subjected to compression, without first traveling through the side walls of the spoon 7l and the coal between the spoon and the heating walls. But before the heat from the furnace walls has penetrated that far, the coking and compression of the coal between the walls Ll has been completed. If desired, the kside walls ofthe spoon 71 may be insulated in order to prevent more completely the transfer of heat through it.

The coal which is between the spoon and the heating walls, and which is therefore coked incompletely or not at all, is discharged with the coke formed between the walls 4. Most of this uncoked coal disintegrates quickly and can therefore be easily screened out from the coke, whereupon it may be pulverized and mixed with fresh coal to be charged into the apparatus.

The coking under compression proceeds very rapidly because of the intimate contact between the coal and the heating wall produced by the compression. For example, I have found that bituminous coal mixed with anthracite culm may be coked in this apparatus in about 8 minutes, the layers of coal being about 1%: inches thick. The coking proceeds, of course, most rapidly at the beginning of the operation, because the heat stored in the heated walls is highest at the beginning, is mainly accumulated in the surfaces of the heating walls and in those portions immediately below the surfaces, and is rapidly communicated to the coal between the walls. The development of gases of distillation is therefore very rapid at the beginning of the operation, and the escape of these gases is facilitated by the wall construction de scribed above, and also by the presence of relatively loose coal at the ends of the walls si, through which these gases pass upward into the vapor space 3 above the walls.

When coking some kinds of coal which assume a very pastry state before they harden into coke, and also when treating mixtures containing such coals, I have found it best to delay the compression for a short time after the coal has been dropped down between the walls. During this period a dry lilm of porous coke is formed over the outside of the coal where it is in contact with the walls, and this helps materially to convey the distillation gases away when compression begins.

Many variations may be made in the construction described above. For example, the heating walls 4 instead of being flat may be of any other desired contour; the beams 7 may be supported in any manner which will permit movement thereof back and forth, while the walls may be heated in any other suitable manner than as shown.

The coke-forming material may be of any desired character such as coal or peat, or may consist of a mixture of coking material with non-Coking material, such as anthracite culni, lignite, coke breeze and the like.

Among the advantages of the above described method and apparatus are the separation of the heating gases from the gases and vapors of distillation, which facilitates the recovery of the distilled vapors and gases, and the strengthening of the walls as compared with the structure shown in my prior Patent No2 1,419,908, by constructing these walls of solid blocks instead of providing large flues which, in the former construction, weakened the walls. Also, since the heating walls are composed of' many small solid blocks, the walls are not easily warped, and therefore remain parallel, which promotes uniform coking. Other advantages are that the interstices formed in the walls aid in conveying away the gases and vapors of distillation, that a number of retorts can be charged at the same time and discharged at the same time, and that the retorts are open at the top so that the coking material falls into the retorts easily, while after the coking operation the coke is easily pushed out from many retorts at once. Also, the continuous travel of the retorts through the furnace, which was necessary in my earlier apparatus, is now avoided, and wearing of the pressure members and their supports is thus reduced.

T he temperature to which the heating walls are raised depends somewhat upon the nature of the coking material, and also upon the material of which the walls are composed. lhen the walls are composed of iron or steel this temperature may be in the neighborhood of 1200o to 1600o F., while if the walls are composed of refractory bricks a much higher temperature is possible. rlhe coal to be dis tilled may be charged in the apparatus at atmospheric temperature.` or may be preheated if desired.

In order that suflicient heat may be supplied to the coal to thoroughly transform it into coke, and also in order that the transfer of heat may not be unduly retarded after the first rapid heating, the weight of the heating walls with respect to the weightof material being distilled is so regulated that the walls Legea/rs have a storage capacity Vfor heat that is materially greaterl than the heat required to bring the coal to the required iinal temperature. In order to prpvide an ample margin for the storage oil' heat in the walls el, l prefer that the weight of these walls be approximately twice that which would be theoretically sutlicient to store the heat necessary to coke the coal, i

It will be evident 'from the above discussion that my invention may be carried into efr'ect in a variety of ways, and I` therefore desire that no limitations be imposed upon my invention except suoli as are indicated in the appended claims.

l claim as my :invention: l

l. The process that comprises providing a chamber containing a plurality of spaced and substantially parallel members, hea-ting said members sufficiently to thereafter coke colring material in amount sufficient to till the spaces betweensaidwalls,placing solid coking material in the spaces between said walls, moving said walls closer together and thereby compressing said material while coking it by transfer of heat thereto 'from said walls, removing the vapors evolved from said material, moving said walls apart, and removing the coke from the spaces between said walls.

2. Apparatus for making coke comprising` a distilling chamber, a series of vertical parallel walls disposed in said chamber and loosely connected together for movement toward and away from each ot-her, and means for exerting alternate pressure and traction upon one of the end walls of the said series in a line along said series.

3. Apparatus for making coke comprising a distilling chamber and a plurality of spaced parallel Walls disposed in said chamber, each of said walls comprisingl a plurality of solid blocks having spaces between them I for the escape of distillation gases.

fl. Apparatus for making coke comprising a distilling chamber and a plurality of spaced vparallel walls disposed in said chamber, each ot aid walls comprising a plurality of solid blocks having spaces between them for the escape of distillation gases, and means for moving said walls toward and away from each other.

5. Apparatus for making coke comprising a distilling "chamber, a plurality of spaced parallel and substantially solid walls disposed within said chamber, and lost motion connections for moving said walls toward and away from cach other successively.

6. Apparatus for making coke comprising a distilling chamber, a plurality of spaced parallel and substantially solid walls disposed in said chamber, each of said walls being composed of a plurality of blocks having interfitting projections and grooves providing interstices for the escape of gases and vapors of distillation.

7. Apparatus for making cokev comprising a distilling chamber, a` plurality of spaced parallel and substantially solid walls disposed in said chamber, each ofsaid Walls being composed of a plurality of blocks having interlitting projections and grooves providing interstices for the escape of gases and vapors of distillation, and means for moving said walls toward and away from leach other,

8. Apparatus for making coke, comprising a distilling chamber', a series otvertical parallel walls disposed in said chamber in hori- Zontally spaced relation and v:tree to move relative to each other ina line along said series, means for exerting pressure upon one of the end Walls of thesaid series in the direction of said series, and connections between said end wall and the other wallst'or eii'ecting relative movement of said other walls when the end wall iswithdrawn,

9. The process of producing ,coke that comprises storing in a pair of relatively movable members, suliicient heat above eokingtemperature to convert any certain mass oi col;- ing material into coke, introducing said mass of material between said members, and compressing said material between said members by relative movement thereof during transfer of heat from the said membersto the material.`

l0. The process of producingV coke which comprises-storing in a. pair of relatively movable members, suilicient heat above coking temperature to convert any certain mass ot coking material into coke, introducing said mass of material between said members, and compressing said material between said members by relative movement of the latter before the stored heat has been transferred from the said members to the material.

l1. Coking apparatus, comprising a chamber, means for supplying heat to said chamber, spaced vertically disposed wall members in said chamber, said members being relatively movable, between which coling material may be placed, and a support spaced from the edges of the wall members for supporting layers of coking material between said wall and between said support and said edges.

l2. Cokin()- apparatus,comprising a chamber, means ier supplying heat to said chamber, relatively movable vertically disposed wall members in said chamber, between which coking material may be placed, and a removable support disposed beneath and opposite to the edges of said members for supporting a layer of the cokinol material between said wall members and between said support and said edges.

13. Coking apparatus, comprising a chamber, means for supplying heat to said chamber, vertically disposedl wall members in, said chamber, means for introducing cokeiorming material between said members from a point thereabove, a movable support disposed beneath said members for ten'iporarily retaining the coking material in position therebetween, and means for forcing the ma terial downwardly from between said niembers, when the said support has been removed, the said support having bottom and sidey portions normally disposed in spaced relation to said members, for the purpose of maintaining a layer of coke-forming material so as to serve as an insulating medium for that portiony of the material which is disposed between said members.

14. Apparatus for making colte, comprising a. chamber, having inlet and outlet con duits for passing hot gases therethrough, means for closing said conduits, heat-absorb ing members in said chamber, means for supporting coke-forming material in contact with said members, means for compressing the material between said n'iembers, and means independent ot' said conduits for conducting away from the chamber, the gases formed by carbonization ot said material.

l5. Apparatus for making coke, compris ing a chai'nber having inlet and out-let conduits for passing hot gases therethrough, means for closing said conduits, heat-absorb ing members in said chamber, means for com` pressing coke-forming material between said members, and means independent of t-he hot gas inlet for conducting away from said chamber the gases produced through carbonization of said material.

16. The process ot producing coke which comprises heating movable members to store sufficient heat therein above coking temperature to convert any certain mass ot coking material into coke, introducing said mass between said members, compressing said material between said men'lbers and withdrawing theV gases formed by carbonization of said material.

In testimony whereof l, the said FRANz PUENING, have hereunto set my hand.

FRANZ PUENING- 

